Arkansas and California Consortia Realize the Neighborhood Networks Dream

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Neighborhood Networks consortia from Arkansas to Southern California are on the move. Community Builders of Arkansas (the Arkansas Neighborhood Networks Consortium) and the California Neighborhood Networks Consortium (CNNC) recently hosted consortium-sponsored events aimed at increasing the number of Neighborhood Networks centers in Arkansas as well as the organizational capacity of CNNC member centers.

Networking in Arkansas Brings Results

As part of Neighborhood Networks Week 2005, the newly formed Community Builders of Arkansas (CBA) hosted an informational training session for property owners and housing authorities interested in opening Neighborhood Networks centers. The goal of the session was to increase awareness about the Neighborhood Networks Initiative, with emphasis placed on the direct benefits provided to residents and the community atmosphere fostered by the centers. The session featured information on how to open a Neighborhood Networks center and effectively utilize a property's budget to finance a center. Preparation for the session began weeks in advance as CBA President and Neighborhood Networks National Consortium (NNNC) Executive Board Member Miles Graham and Arkansas Neighborhood Networks Coordinator Leona Blankenship sent invitational letters to all U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) property owners and housing authorities in Arkansas encouraging them to attend the upcoming session.

Forty-five individuals representing 35 properties attended the training session, in addition to CBA consortium members and HUD officials from the Little Rock office who highlighted areas of the HUD Management Handbook and explained how HUD properties can fund Neighborhood Networks centers. Attendees received several Neighborhood Networks giveaways and were treated to breakfast and lunch. As a result of the training session, Pathfinders—a local affordable housing developer—has committed to opening five new Neighborhood Networks centers, and individuals in Oklahoma have expressed interest in hosting a similar event. Graham summed up the event's impact by saying, "It was a great day for Arkansas and Neighborhood Networks!"

Communicating in California Benefits Centers

While CBA consortium members were hosting their event, miles away, members of CNNC were busy working to coordinate their first quarterly Resource and Development Workshop for member centers. The workshop featured information on partnerships, fundraising, training, resource sharing, technical assistance, afterschool programming/curriculum development, and information on the START tool. On August 10, 2005, CNNC hosted the all-day event designed to provide Resident Service Coordinators from member centers with valuable information and resources for their residents. Resources highlighted during the workshop included digital media—provided by the nonprofit Heads on Fire—afterschool programming offering an array of tutoring and activities for youth provided by Southbay Community Services, and Occupational Training Services' No Child Left Behind Program, which helps youth in underserved areas achieve California standard test scores.

Los Angeles HUD Neighborhood Networks Coordinator Donald Freeman also conducted a presentation on the Neighborhood Networks Initiative. CNNC's first Resource and Development Workshop proved to be a huge success. Kimberly Paul, CNNC board president and NNNC board member, expressed her enthusiasm about CNNC's recent event, "Teamwork made this event possible. It was a great success because of the teamwork within the consortium. This was our first attempt and we are very pleased with the outcome and are looking forward to holding more frequent events of this nature for our members."

Neighborhood Networks consortia across the country are achieving milestones as they strive to realize the goals of the Neighborhood Networks Initiative. The recent events hosted by CBA and CNNC are only two examples of what can happen when Neighborhood Networks centers work together for the collective good of residents and community members.

For more information about the California Neighborhood Networks Consortium or Community Builders of Arkansas please contact:

Kimberly Paul
California Neighborhood Networks Consortium, Board President
Occupational Training Services
8799 Balboa Avenue, Suite 120
San Diego, CA 92123
Phone: (858) 560-0411 ext.242

Miles Graham
Community Builders of Arkansas, Board President
St. Johns Empowerment Center
1105 East 26th Street
Pine Bluff, AR 71603
Phone: (501) 280-0037